IT’S shaping up to be perfect with two headliners announced this week for the award-winning Purbeck Folk Festival.

Chart-topping Scottish singer songwriter Eddi Reader is among the headline artists also including The South (latest incarnation of The Beautiful South) at this year’s event.

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, August 21-24, on a Purbeck sheep farm, the festival promises four days of music, food, fancy dress, comedy, film and magic.

“We’re delighted two of Britain’s most popular live acts are coming this year and we know they’ll bring the party with them,” says festival director Michael Callaghan.

Eddi Reader MBE started singing backing vocals for the likes of Gang of Four, Billy MacKenzie, Eurythmics and The Waterboys, but came to mains-tream attention fronting BRIT award-winning acoustic pop outfit Fairground Attraction, whose 1988 number one single Perfect remains a classic.

As beautiful as ever, The South will arrive armed with a sensational back catalogue of hits including A Little Time, their number one single.

After 10 studio albums, 34 chart singles, 15 million record sales, when time was called on The Beautiful South in 2008, not everyone was ready to leave the party. Singers Dave Hemingway and Alison Wheeler, alongside original touring members Da mon Butcher (keys), Gaz Birtles (sax) and Tony Robinson (trumpet), slipped out of the retire-ment home and formed the nine-piece band, The South. Purbeck Folk Festival recently won the Fatea Music Award for Countryside Festival Of The Year, confirming its position as a corner-stone of the summer music festival circuit.

In its sixth year, the festival ensures an eclectic mix of outstanding, original young folk, established roots, traditional and world music in a family-friendly environment.

The four stages are contained in the farm’s ingeniously converted barns and a marquee venue that hosts the Purbeck Rising final and open mic sessions.

But there’s much more than music on offer with a host of additional entertainment including a comedy line-up, on-site cinema, art workshops, fancy dress parade, poetry slam, kids’ activity pen and beer festival with 40 real ales, 20 ciders and even a Dorset pils lager.

  • Weekend tickets (Fri-Sun) including camping are £80 (£40 12-17 years, £10 4-11 years).

Day camping is available on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at £10 a night on arrival.

A limited number of festival day tickets will also be available.

For more information, visit www.purbeckfolk.co.uk